The present invention relates to a tool and method for use in total hip implant surgery by which the head of a prosthetic femoral device may be twisted into and out of a prosthetic hip socket. When a total prosthetic hip is implanted in a patient, the femoral head or ball must be made to fit perfectly within the socket so as to not cause the patient problems thereafter. That is, the head must be fitted so as to move easily in the socket, but neither be too loose nor too tight.
During the surgery, which requires an incision of approximately 8 inches in length, a prosthetic socket is fitted and secured in the area of the natural socket in the pubis, and after the natural head has been removed from the femur, a trial prosthetic device is inserted into the femur for trial fitting of its head into the socket. Such trials are necessary to accomplish the proper fit of the head within the socket. Because the prosthetic femoral heads are made of metal, ground to be extremely smooth and are easily scored, the trial fittings are accomplished with prosthetic devices having plastic heads to avoid damaging the actual head to be used.
In these trial fittings and in the final fitting, it is very difficult to insert each femoral head into the implanted socket, and to remove it therefrom, because of the tight fitting of the natural hip and natural femur and which will exist after the operation is completed between the prosthetic hip socket and the prosthetic femoral device.
In the prior art there has been no satisfactory means or tool for accomplishing relatively easy insertion and removal of the femoral heads from the implanted socket. Generally, the femoral head was moved into the socket with great effort and pulled out of the socket with great effort by an ordinary hook-shaped tool. This inadequate phase of the total implant surgery had existed for years prior to the present invention.